Message in a bottle
by howmanyheartaches
Summary: The sea is full of secrets and shares them with Michiru Kaioh only. As she's getting more and more aware of what the ocean is hiding, Sailor Neptune is teaming up with Sailor Mars - and not Uranus - to save the innocent. Because Michiru Kaioh is full of secrets, too.


It had been going on for a few days now and Michiru wasn't able to sort out why she had a yearning in her heart. There was a desire – but also a deep sadness. She started to pull at Haruka's hair more aggressively, switching the tender lovemaking to sessions that left Haruka hungry and tired and worn-out. But Michiru herself wasn't satisfied ever. She paced their house like a wild animal, unhappy with how unsteady she felt. The pain in her heart was huge.

At night, lying next to Haruka, she felt like she was miles apart from her lover. It was clear that this all couldn't have to do with her or Haruka anymore – she loved this woman with every single fibre of her body, but why did she feel so separated then?

The mirror stayed dark and Michiru got angry. The sea was good at keeping secrets. But why did it keep something from her? She hated it. The sorrow grew.

She didn't alarm her family though. And it would have left a bitter taste on her tongue if this hadn't been that way all her life - Michiru was so excellent at playing her role that she even fooled herself during rehearsals. Afterwards she felt empty, back in her body with the same unidentified worrying.

Michiru waited for the Saturday that Mina and Haruka had chosen to watch some college softball team. They'd be out of the house and so would Hotaru and Setsuna, on yet another shopping spree - Setsuna had the biggest joy of putting the 1800s dress together that Hotaru's teenage goth heart dramatically wished for.

So Michiru rode her bike down to the water. There was barely any wind, which didn't work in her favour. She wanted answers – it had been quite a while that Michiru had felt that crazy and lunatic. It made her jittery and that wasn't her style.

Sometimes, the ocean gave her gifts. Nice shells, big and small, keys, broken cell phones … Michiru wasn't so keen on finding the later items, but she hoped the sea had something in store for her today.

As she reached her element, she let the bike sink to the sand. With one fluid movement she left her wedges with the bike and made her way down to the water.

"Come on …" She whispered, not sure what she expected. Waves that formed a sign for her? It was very clear she had already lost her good connection for some reason or another; otherwise she would have known exactly what troubled her.

Michiru let herself sink into the sand, her toes reaching out to touch the water, till it came rolling in and soon submerging her feet. The aquamarine-haired girl waited. And waited. Until she couldn't contain herself any longer.

Her light summer dress was pulled over her head, she shook her curls free and then jumped forward into the water, her black one-piece quickly being soaked with sea water. The water was cool on her skin and she could feel being pulled in, drawn deeper and deeper.

She came back for air much later than other people would have. It didn't take her long and she was underwater again, pleading to the ocean.

Everything felt right. There wasn't any pollution, the animals seemed happy. She combed through the flood with no solution of finding a cure for her insanity.

And still …

It made Michiru mad not to really know where to look. She got back to the beach again, starring into the sun. As she looked back down to the water, she noticed something at her feet. Finding bottles and cans in the ocean wasn't new to her – it still ticked her off, honestly -, but this one seemed different.

Michiru reached out for it, drawing it out of the sea. It seemed old, but not old enough to be ancient. The paper folded inside of it wasn't that old either – only crumbled and a bit used.

The violinist bit her lower lip.

Was that what she had been looking for?

With slender, elegant fingers she took the letter out of the bottle, eager to read the bold sharpie written letters.

"Please help", it started, proofing Michiru's intuition right.

"This is not a joke – I'm being kept at my and Erin's 'special place' – please contact her. My phone is not working down here. I have no idea what's going to happen to me, but I haven't seen the sunlight in a while. Leah." It ended with contact details and a shudder in Michiru's body. The girl responsible for the bottle post could be well dead by now. Michiru knew of bottle post journeys taking up to fifty years, depending on the ocean drift.

Though bottle post being the way of castaways searching for support, this sounded more like a kidnapping.

"Thank you", she told the sea as she made her way back to the house. And a sudden wind picked up her summer dress and curls, as the bottle rolled around in her bicycle basket.

That night, it was harder for Michiru than usual to let Haruka sleep. Normally she'd slip out of the bedroom once Haruka was fast asleep – if you're hardly tired thanks to years and years with nightmares that spoil sleeping for you, you get used to tiptoeing. But she didn't feel like sneaking out to paint or play the violin at her studio or write a story. She very well felt like being awake, as obvious as possible. For the first time in her life, Michiru wished for a dream or a vision to wash over her, but nothing came. She sighed a sigh that wasn't her signature and she curled her body like she never did.

Once Haruka woke up to put her in a bear hug, she regretted this behaviour immediately.

"It's okay – go back to sleep", Michiru whispered, stroking Haruka's back, as Haruka already did so on top of her, mumbling.

The message unsettled her. And she needed to find a solution.

Haruka blamed it all to a nightmare and decided to make breakfast for Michiru the next morning. The toast was slightly burnt, but Michiru crumbly kissed Haruka nevertheless.

The day went on extra cuddly, as Haruka took care of her after that "bad dream" – so good, Michiru almost forgot what had her awake all night long. Haruka went on to recreate the softball game for her and Michiru smiled because she could listen to Haruka being happy all day long, no matter if it was because of cars or candy or university sports.

"Oh! Also, I bought us t-shirts!" Haruka got up from the bed, no matter how nice it had been that Michiru had caressed her neck.

She ran off and came quickly back with the two t-shirts. The sigh Michiru then sighed was very much hers.

"Keep swinging – I like the cool breeze" read the black one, the green one read "I'd hit that" and was accessorized with a printed, yellow soft ball. In a chipper tone she said: "This one is for you, obviously!"

It wasn't very obvious, but Michiru felt better as her wife handed her the one with the "cool breeze"-line.

"Thank you, my love, that's very sweet of you", Michiru lied, making Haruka's light up, which in turn filled Michiru with joy. She kissed the tip of Haruka's nose.

"Mina got an 'It's all about the base' shirt for Rei, isn't that cute?" Haruka told Michiru in a very excited way. In her head, she already planned the wedding of these two non-lovebirds.

"Not really", Michiru was just glad Rei would never get any reference that was engraved in red, white and blue glitter, period. But on the topic of Rei, an idea started to form in her head, so she was kind of glad Haruka had mentioned Mina - a date that needed to be marked in her calendar.

During family dinner, when everyone talked vividly about their plans for the week, Michiru kept smile. The happy chatter of her found family made Michiru happy – Hotaru ate with the hunger only teenagers had, Setsuna blushed because everyone enjoyed their meal, and Haruka ate with the hunger only teenagers had as well. Michiru had always treasured these moments ever since the four have them had grown to be this unit. A family she never had expected to have – be allowed to have, even. With a burden like theirs, Michiru had never believed to find peace within war. Michiru still blamed herself to put Haruka through the struggle of being a Senshi, but she would do anything to defend her from evil spirits.

So Michiru talked about her rehearsal the next day. Haruka didn't realize she had her guards up, because Michiru always had her natural guards up as soon as she left the house, sometimes inside the house with Mina there, it was Michiru's way – Haruka might be good at reading her when she was hungry, but not when she had a plan.

She only left for a short amount of time during the night, when she found herself painting shadows with aquarelle and sea water.

Horrified, she hurried back to cuddle close to Haruka, absorbing her warmth and scent.

On Monday, when Haruka went back to work at the garage, Michiru knew where to find Rei. Her close friend's lectures started in the afternoon and her granddad let Michiru in. After thanking him several times for his compliments that made Michiru oh, so tired, Michiru could make her way to Rei, finally. She'd never let him know how she felt when a man complimented her, of course, he was so dear to Rei!

Michiru swallowed hard as she approached Rei in her room. The dark-haired girl was typing furiously away on her computer, not realizing the battle that was going on inside of her friend. After all those years, it still felt so hard to tell Rei: "I need your help."

The reward for a sentence Michiru rarely used was … ignorance. Rei didn't even look up: "I can't right now."

"Rei Hino, get off Tumblr and listen to me", Michiru furrowed her brow. Her voice, sharp like a knife, startled Rei. She did tilt her head so her eyes met Michiru's: "What is it?"

It still sounded nerved, but also concerned.

Michiru put the letter in front of her and Rei started to read impatient, but then more and more apprehensive. The older woman waited, and then continued: "I've found Erin last night. She's real. She's dating Leah. I was thankful for the first time in my life that Facebook was invented and gave Mark Zuckerberg so much new money."

"You did this without Ami?" Rei couldn't help but arch a brow.

Michiru rolled her eyes slightly: "I'm not the eccentric old woman Mina wants everyone to think I am. That's for Setsuna."

"So … speaking of Setsuna …" Rei twisted the paper in her hand nervously.

"No. I have a very bad feeling for all of this. No matter if Leah's alive or not – there's a greater evil behind all of it and I don't want to …" Rei cut her off: "Why do you think Haruka will be hurt? She's a Sailor Soldier for God's sake!"

"Rei, this is my decision. I chose you. If you're not in, fine, I'm going alone. But I won't draw anyone into this uncertain mess other than the team I chose. And I certainly don't choose Haruka. She isn't a great swimmer and Leah is probably kept by the ocean, if not within in the ocean, _by_ the ocean." Michiru made it clear that those were her definite words and Rei couldn't help but obey: "Okay, I'll help you. But I'm not fully happy with your decision and you're not the leader."

"This is not a K-Pop-band and the _leader_ didn't come to know of this matter. _I_ did. Besides, how did you not see this coming?"

Rei snorted: "I don't watch the fire like it's 'The L Word'."

"Fair enough. I think we should go and talk to Erin first. Now. We don't have any more time to lose." Michiru commanded.

"Since when do you know of this?" Rei pointed to the letter with her head.

"Saturday."

"Saturday?" Rei yelled.

Michiru didn't appreciate Rei screaming at her like that, so she put on her most passive-aggressive tone: "I had to say goodbye to Haruka in my own way, okay?"

Rei grabbed her cardigan and got to her feet in one angry motion: "You're such a dramatic, foolish lesbian; I really don't know what to say. Let's go."

It was quite a coincidence: Erin lived very nearby Ami's and Mako's place. While Michiru unbuckled her seat belt, Rei sat still at the co-driver's seat. Wistfully, she starred down the street: "You know … I shouldn't be too surprised she found Ami in the end."

"Who are you talking about? Makoto? Who is currently pregnant with Ami's children?"

But Rei ignored Michiru once again: "Our fling isn't too long ago, is it? It all rushes by so fast, but me? I'm on my own, as always."

Michiru blinked, but then let it pass. Rei hardly talked about her feelings, she didn't mind giving that to her for a moment. Even though that fling felt like the eight years ago it actually was, and not like it was yesterday.

"But do you know why?" Rei addressed Michiru finally, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Because you were mere friends, not in love with each other?" Michiru proposed.

"No, because thunder and lightning do need rain! Nothing needs fire! Fire is a lone element!" Rei's voice went head over heels.

"Rei, whatever your university is teaching you, please don't forget common sense, something a lawyer makes great use of as well. Also, you don't want to be Mina's exhibit C in terms of 'lesbians equal madness'. Fire can't burn without another addition, fire alone dies. And there are plenty of girls that can't wait being _hurt_ by you and I can't wait to outlive my revenge on Mina with the help of your lust." Michiru hemmed, and then opened the car's door. "Now, please join me."

Rei grumbled, but followed Michiru towards the apartment building. She rang the doorbell of apartment owner "Ueno".

"Who's there?" A low grunt was heard, but very welcome by both Sailor Senshi, since it meant Erin was at home.

"I have a message from Leah." Michiru told the intercom.

"Who is there?" The voice spoke of so many different emotions, anger and fear and not enough sleep and pure sadness.

Michiru gave back a tenderly: "A friend."

"Wow, where does that soothing voice come from, purring pussycat?" Rei noticed.

"I have a very sensitive girl back at home", Michiru reminded her and pressed the building's door open.

Erin stood in the doorway of her apartment in the building's second floor. She was gorgeous despite the signs that she hadn't slept in days – a perfectly fitting pair of denim, plaid and Spongebob slippers. Her dark, short hair was ruffled, as if she had just tussled it in desperation.

"Who are you?" In any other situation, Erin would have smiled more, enjoying the sight of two girls like Michiru and Rei, until she had realized that Rei had her most grumpiest face on and a ring for freezer bags in her long hair – and Michiru was, indeed, a queen and she was not worthy, on top of that ten years too late.

"I'm the finder of this message", Michiru took the letter out of her Kelly bag and handed it to Erin. Erin let them in with a gesture of her head, as she realized that she was indeed familiar with the writing.

"You and Leah were friends?" Rei assumed in her typical moodiness of "we're all lone stars and island and fuck off".

"You sound just like her. We were _lovers_ ", Erin spat the last word, like she had done it many times before.

"So you argued about this definition a lot?" Michiru wanted to know while she observed the apartment. It would have been a bachelor's pad if there wasn't a flower here and there. A scent of cedar wood meeting caramel in the air. Colorful candles on books about muscle development.

"Yeah. Right before she went missing, actually", Erin sighed, "And what does this mean? That she's kept by crazy killers?"

"That's our job to find out – but we need your help. What's your 'special place'?" Michiru asked, her eyes still slipping over the interior carefully.

"And please don't make it dirty", Rei rolled her eyes, used to one Mina Aino.

Erin pointed at a Google Map print framed over her sofa. Coordinates were marked with a heart. Michiru recognized it immediately – it was a special cave at a bay you only came to know if you made persevere walks at the coast. It was very much hidden, mostly covered up by high surf, just like Leah's and Erin's relationship.

"She wanted to hide it … and I wanted … want … hold her hand in public, you know? But if I hadn't insisted that day, maybe she …"

"It will be all right", Michiru put her hand on Erin's shoulder, physical contact she showcased hardly, but was capable of.

On their way out – Rei had done some awkward patting as well – Michiru sent Setsuna a text that rehearsal would take a lot longer than planned. As she walked to her car, she heard Rei crying for her planet's support.

She put her bag on the driver's seat, as her phone made a noise.

"That's okay. Haruka is busy doing a Deep Purple playlist and only she can be so absorbed with putting 'Space Trucking', 'Speed King' and 'Highway Star' into the right order till you're home", Setsuna had answered, and then sent another text: "Take good care, Michiru."

The emoticon used left no doubt Pluto knew something was up. Michiru swallowed. As long as Haruka didn't know where she was headed, everything was all right. She'd protect her no matter what. Michiru slipped the phone into her bag and returned to Rei. And as Mars already stood there in a back courtyard, Michiru transformed into Neptune.

Before they were off, Michiru took some time to thank Rei in her own way: "I'm glad you decided to come along. And that you're my friend. Even after we've saved Leah from whatever tentacles that keep her in that place."

She trusted Haruka more than anything – but not with "I won't do something stupid".

Rei laughed: "But haven't you heard what Usagi likes to say? We'll always be together."

"Yes. I suppress that one. Because of Mina", Michiru said dead serious. Rei smiled. At the same time, they reached out and took each other's hands. "SAILOR –"

\- TRANSPORT!"

Michiru faced Mars, but immediately spotted Leah behind her friend – in a cage. Made of bones. It would have frozen Michiru's blood if she hadn't expected it. She had everything under control, she told herself, and it satisfied her to finally be able to believe that again.

Leah's dress was ripped, thanks to the sharp bones surrounding her – she probably had thrown herself against them with no success. The strap of her cross-shoulder-bag was broken.

And while Neptune had discovered Leah, sending her a reassuring smile, Mars had spotted the kidnapper behind Neptune.

"What are you?" Mars yelled, as Michiru shot Leah a glance of reassuring.

She looked old, like Zirconia, with that same creepy smile, only with a hat made of shells and a monstrous coral for a cane. Little starfishes stuck on her cape.

"What are you?" Her ancient voice creaked.

Mars jumped into her pose: "Agent of Love and Passion, the pretty sailor suited soldier Sailor Mars! In the name of Mars, I will chastise you!"

Neptune followed: "Guarded by Neptune, planet of the deep blue sea. I'm the soldier of affinity, Sailor Neptune!"

"Oh, you two would match perfectly into my little collection! Don't you think, pet?" The sea witch called out. There was no doubt she was one – and it made Michiru ashamed of her element. Not that the ocean itself was responsible for sharks attacking humans or sea witches kidnapping girls – but the later drew her power from it and so she sent a few balls of energy, not unlike Neptune's Deep Submerge. Neptune and Mars were quick to avoid it.

Leah cried out loud.

Mars whipped out an ofuda and yelled: "Akuryo Taisan!"

The ofuda got stuck on the sea witch's forehead and Mars acted on her chance to physically fight the paralyzed figure.

"You're not allowed to touch girls who come here with their aching hearts and make them your pets!" Mars hit the creatures' jaw with her clenched fist. Leah must have come here seeking for some clearance, making her mind up on how to continue with Erin. Capturing vulnerable girls wasn't a treat that made Sailor Mars like someone.

"I like that you use the plural, because there'll soon be many", her voice broke from her almost closed lips – and then her hand shot in the air, right as Mars was about to place a high kick. She caught Mars' ankle and a fisher's net came from her rough fingers, weaving Mars in … till she hung upside down from the ceiling.

"Mars!" Neptune screamed. This was not how she had imagined the fight!

"And you're the next, pretty girl!" The sea witch boomed.

Before Michiru could say "Is that so?" a voice broke through the cave: "I don't think so!"

"Haruka!" Michiru stared at her wife with wide eyes, followed my Rei's exclamation from a very red head's mouth.

"Guarded by Uranus, planet of the skies. I'm the soldier of flight, Sailor Uranus!" Uranus struck a pose. The sea witch tilted her head: "You're a bit too noisy for my collection!"

"She's too noisy and I am not?" Rei floundered like crazy, but couldn't fight herself free.

But Michiru didn't pay any attention – she felt like her heart had stopped in its spot. Haruka had realized she had lied to her. So much for her air of mystery. And now Haruka was in danger.

Also, she looked directly at her: "The place where we meet will always be the same."

Dramatic lesbian speech pumped up to 11, she continued: "My talisman –"

There it was, the Space Sword – Haruka's gaze touched it shortly, before she addressed the sea witch, talisman held up high: "- how many times will you exemplify your patron? Show me your favour!"

In that moment, Michiru smartly let her mirror materialize. And as Haruka screamed "Space Sword Blaster!", Michiru joined her with wild eyes and a "Submarine Reflection!".

If Haruka was sending herself off to death, so was Michiru.

Their talisman powers teamed up and rolled towards the enemy. The sphere enveloped her – first she was laughing, and then she was screaming bloody murder.

She disappeared with one last wailing.

Haruka and Michiru starred at each other breathlessly. Then Rei fell to the floor next to Michiru and Haruka rushed off to get a scared Leah out of the cage.

They had called Erin to pick Leah up. Taking care of the overwhelmed girl – and Rei complaining about her hurting ankles - distracted Michiru from being almost pissed at Haruka for wanting to protect her, when all Michiru wanted to do was to protect Haruka. She could have been harmed! How dared she?

The Senshi made turns of de-transforming in a hideout, and as Haruka came back, she wore her new softball shirt and carried a white balloon.

"Would you mind going with Erin and Leah, Reiana?" The blonde asked.

"Did Mina pay you five bucks to say that horrible name?" Rei answered, but agreed. She was sure she was going to hate it, but it seemed the best idea to pick Michiru's car up without having their lesbian sappiness in her ears for a while. Worse enough that she had to listen to them on their way home, probably Haruka going on about space ships or some shit. Maybe she could even offer some relationship advice to Erin and Leah, if she felt like killing time in a minute.

As they had left, Leah sobbing in Erin's arms, Haruka told Michiru: "You know what? Balloon post is better than bottle post. You can start it from earth – and it can land anywhere. It's easier, there's no surge. It's more faithful."

"I know I wasn't very reliable, Haruka. I'm sorry." Michiru said. Haruka handed her the balloon and they both watched it for a moment.

"Please promise me to not do any solo actions ever again. And I don't mean in bed." Haruka asked, but Michiru shook her head with a lovingly look: "I can't promise that. All of it. You know that. I never could."

"You can't fight something we're all born with. So I'm rather dying protecting you than you being dead and leaving me alone in this world." Haruka shuddered visibly.

"I could never leave you alone", Michiru gave back.

"I love you", Haruka said, grasping how Michiru would fight nails and teeth and hell for her.

"I love you", Michiru gave back and soon they were tangled up with each other, kissing smoldering, and Michiru felt at ease again. Finally.


End file.
